Geek deals: $499 Dell Inspiron 15R Core i5 laptop

For a long time, finding a laptop under $500 meant you were getting a stripped-down, barebones unit that didn’t have the performance or features to meet your needs (at least for very long). While technology has advanced to the point that even the lowest-end processors are more than sufficient for the average user, budget laptops tend to lose other features that are key to keeping their functionality in the long-term.

Today’s laptop deal is one that we have seen pop up from time to time and this is the lowest price we’ve seen, tied with the last occurrence in December. Not only are you getting a new-in-box 15-inch laptop for under $500, but it comes rather well equipped. The biggest bonus here is Intel’s Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor, which we typically see in laptops costing $600 or more.

Dell also outfits this machine with 6GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, a nice boost from models we usually see in this price range. If all of this weren’t enough for just $499, the Inspiron 15R also comes loaded with an impressive list of standard features: four USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and VGA video output, Wireless-N, Bluetooth, integrated webcam, 8-in-1 media card reader, and more.

Putting the cherry on top of this deal are the no-cost additions of 15 months of McAfee security center, 1 year on-site warranty service, and 90 days of premium phone support. We very, very rarely see a combination of these features and technologies anywhere near this price point, especially when you consider the support bonuses.